Parent union solicits operator for Desert Trails

Monday

Jul 30, 2012 at 6:23 AMJul 30, 2012 at 6:27 AM

LYNNEA LOMBARDO, Staff Writer

ADELANTO • A parent union from Desert Trails Elementary School sent out requests for proposals early Friday morning, soliciting an operator for the struggling school that will involve a partnership between school personnel and the parents.

The move comes in the wake of a judge's historic decision to back the nation's first use of the so-called "Parent Trigger" law and uphold a petition signed by the majority of parents seeking to overhaul Desert Trails Elementary in Adelanto.

The Desert Trails Parent Union sent out its eight-page letter to school officials countywide, describing their plight and giving recipients detailed guidelines for submitting proposals to help run the school. Although no changes will be made in time for the 2012-13 year, Ben Austin, executive director of the parent union's nonprofit backer Parent Revolution, said that this is the first time in history that parents will be allowed to select their own school operator.

"All proposals are encouraged," Doreen Diaz, Desert Trails Parent Union coordinator, said in a press release. "Including those from Adelanto School District, other districts, labor organizations and existing nonprofit charter operators. Our priority is to make sure Desert Trails is transformed and fully operational by Sept. 13, 1213."

Gabe Rose, spokesperson for Parent Revolution, said the parents' decision to form a "partnership school" is an innovative hybrid.

Rose said parents never intended for Desert Trails to become a charter, despite that proposal's inclusion in the petition upheld July 20 by Judge Steve Malone. Rose said the parents signed the petition for a charter so that something could finally get done to change the school, which is ranked in the bottom 10 percent of all elementary schools statewide.

"The parents really just wanted in-district reform," Rose said. "But the district chose confrontation over collaboration. What the parents are saying is, 'Look, we always wanted a partnership school, but we're not going to sit around and wait. If you don't want to work with us, we'll find someone who does.' It's time to stop fighting the parents, it's time work with them."

Before Parent Revolution began working with the parent union, an original petition was circulated by parents to reform the school but received little recognition from the school district, according to Rose. A second petition was circulated after Parent Revolution became involved, which required Desert Trails to be converted to a charter school if more than 50 percent of parents signed it. At the time, there were 666 students enrolled in the school.

The second petition, which garnered 466 parent signatures, caused controversy when 97 of the parents asked to have their signatures removed, according to Carlos Mendoza, board president of the Adelanto School District. Mendoza says that the parents signed the petition not knowing that it would cause Desert Trails to be converted to a charter school.

"People are forgetting to ask why some parents wanted to revoke their signatures in the first place," Mendoza said.

Mark Holster, a lawyer representing the DTPU, said the state's "Empowerment Law" allows trigger parents to begin selecting a partner or operator immediately after the judge drops the gavel. He said the parents are allowed 90 days to begin the process of deciding what to do with the school — but that the DTPU has wasted no time in trying to form a partnership.

"The district will consider any proposal within the scope of the petition — which means a charter school, no matter what you want to call it," said Mendoza, who insisted proposals must meet statewide charter school standards and still have to be approved by the school board. "I'm worried that they'll submit a long, expensive wish-list regardless of the reality of the state budget."

Potential operators have until Aug. 3 to submit a letter of interest; however, respondents must meet criteria guidelines before being invited to submit an official proposal Aug. 6. According to the guidelines, all submitted proposals will be evaluated according to California's Parent Trigger regulations and must meet requirements that will be released to them Aug. 7.

Respondents will then have until Sept. 21 to submit their proposals, after which parents who signed the petition will be able to vote on the candidate organizations.

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